NFL Draft analysts agree DE Jackson Jeffcoat will be first Longhorn taken, leave Vaccaro out of first-round projections

Three years ago, Plano West product Jackson Jeffcoat was the top defensive end prospect in the country.

One of the most highly-touted commits in the Longhorns recruiting class of 2009, Jeffcoat is now in position to be a high first-round pick in next April’s NFL Draft. As a sophomore, his first season as a starter, Jeffcoat made 71 tackles, 21 for loss, and had eight sacks while recording four pass breakups. In CBSSports.com’s NFL Draft analysts Rob Rang and Dane Brugler’s first-round mock drafts, Jeffcoat was the first Longhorn off the board in each one.

“As the son of former Dallas (and Buffalo) standout defensive lineman Jim Jeffcoat, Jackson was literally born to play in the NFL,” wrote Lang, who had Jeffcoat going No. 12 to the Carolina Panthers. “Blessed with a unique combination of size and athleticism, Jeffcoat led the Longhorns in tackles for loss (21) and sackes (eight) last season. With greater strength and consistency in 2012, the true junior could earn top 10 consideration.”

Brugler projected Jeffcoat being taken with the 18th pick by the Dallas Cowboys.

“With Anthony Spencer looking for a big contract, there is a good chance the Cowboys cut him loose next year,” Brugler wrote. “And if Dallas is looking for a pass rusher in next year’s draft, there might not be a better fit than Jeffcoat who watched his father get after opposing quarterbacks for the Cowboys in the early ’90s.”

Texas’ other starting defensive end, senior Alex Okafor, was also included by Rang in his first-round mock draft. He was in the No. 28 slot, going to the New Orleans Saints. Okafor made 58 tackles, 14 for loss, including seven sacks while racking up 17 quarterback hurries last season.

“Without the hyper-aggressive blitzing favored by former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the Saints may have to develop greater individual pass rushers,” Rang wrote. “Okafor lacks the top-notch athleticism of some of the other highly regarded pass rushers of this class but the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year may just be the most polished.”

Brugler also had two Texas players in his first-round mock draft but Okafor was not the second one. Instead, he had each NFL team from the Lone Star State taking a Longhorn, with the Houston Texans selecting junior cornerback Carrington Byndom at No. 25. In his first year as a starter last season, Byndom made 58 tackles, eight for loss, and had two interceptions while breaking up 15 passes.

“The Texan’s front office, led by GM Rick Smith, has transformed their roster into one of the strongest squads in the NFL, even on defense,” Brugler wrote. “Houston’s secondary is a much improved unit, but could use some more depth and Byndom, who grew up two hours from Houston, has a bright future.”

On CBSsports.com’s list of top 2013 NFL Draft prospects, Byndom sits at No. 71 as the 7th-best cornerback, not even the highest-ranked member of the Longhorns secondary on the list. That honor goes to senior safety Kenny Vaccaro, the top strong safety on the list and the No. 56 prospect overall. Jeffcoat (No. 13) and Okafor (No. 24) were the top Texas prospects on the list, the second- and fourth-best defensive ends, respectively.